What's new
By:
USCHO Fan Forum

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

  • The USCHO Fan Forum has migrated to a new plaform, xenForo. Most of the function of the forum should work in familiar ways. Please note that you can switch between light and dark modes by clicking on the gear icon in the upper right of the main menu bar. We are hoping that this new platform will prove to be faster and more reliable. Please feel free to explore its features.

UNH 2021 Off-Season Thread: Finally!?!

Nifty16 said:
So seeing schools releasing their schedules any idea what they might release ours? Not going to lie looking forward to that first game been way to long
Click to expand...

The home schedule is posted on the 2021-2022 schedules thread.

UNH Home:
10/8 - Union
10/9 - Union
10/30 - Providence
11/5 - Northeastern
11/12 - Vermont
11/13 - Vermont
11/20 - UMass
11/27 - Holy Cross
12/4 - BU
1/7 - St Lawrence
1/8 - Clarkson
1/14 - Boston College
2/5 - UConn
2/13 - UMass-Lowell
2/26 - Merrimack
3/4 - UMass-Lowell
 
Last edited:
zoofer said:
Hey Chuck, or anyone else with a clue as to the possibilities of MS ever leaving!! This is getting real old to state the freakin obvious!! I talked with a couple of old teammates as they were none to happy to see another HE team win the NC before us!!!
FYI, Sam Faber is coming back as an assistant coach for the women which is huge! I hope MS leaves before she gets the bitter taste of failure that permeates his “Midas”touch…
Click to expand...

UNH Men's Hockey is currently plagued with two too many MS persons (AD and HC), so I'll take the leap and assume you're talking about the AD guy.

This is bordering on sacrilege, but I'm probably going to be rooting for UMaine to improve greatly under Coach Barr, so the continued failings of our UNH hockey program are kept in the (unflattering) spotlight. But I suspect "Blue Skies" is in solid and professionally entrenched with the key people in top admin (or maybe he has compromising photos of them?), and he'll likely be calling his own shots on when he decides to retire (as opposed to being retired by someone else). Just like he gave that courtesy to our former recently-retired head hockey coach. The UNH Athletic Department - if not UNH in general - has become a monument to institutional complacency, notwithstanding the commendable efforts of Coaches MacDonnell and Hubbard.

Sad, but likely true. I suspect even Merrimack winning Hockey East wouldn't stick to Blue Skies ...
 
Because we have nothing better to do in the offseason, here are my projected home results ...

Snively65 said:
The home schedule is posted on the 2021-2022 schedules thread.

UNH Home:

10/8 - Union L
10/9 - Union W
10/30 - Providence T
11/5 - Northeastern L
11/12 - Vermont W
11/13 - Vermont T
11/20 - UMass L
11/27 - Holy Cross W
12/4 - BU L
1/7 - St Lawrence W
1/8 - Clarkson W
1/14 - Boston College W
2/5 - UConn L
2/13 - UMass-Lowell T
2/26 - Merrimack W
3/4 - UMass-Lowell L
Click to expand...

Overall home record of 7 wins, 6 losses and 3 ties. Certainly not a daunting NC home schedule.
 
Don’t want to rain on Maine’s parade, but Barr’s recent comments about not necessarily recruiting talent, but instead grit and determination and kids ‘who want to be here’ is less than inspiring. Sounds a lot like the comments of another HE coach when he was getting started...
 
Chuck Murray said:
Because we have nothing better to do in the offseason, here are my projected home results ...



Overall home record of 7 wins, 6 losses and 3 ties. Certainly not a daunting NC home schedule.
Click to expand...

There are now 13 away games posted on the Schedule thread’s spreadsheet, typically the second half of home and home weekends, along with two in Orono on 18/19 February, and two games at the Ledyard Classic on 30/31 December, which brings the UNH total to 29 games. Maybe one of the unknown unknowns will be a return visit to the Bentley Arena?

UNH Away 2021-22:
10/29 - @ PC
11/6 - @ NU
11/19 - @ UMass
12/3 - @ BU
12/30-31 – Ledyard Classic: Mercyhurst, BC, or Dartmouth
1/15 - @ BC
1/21 - @ UConn
2/4 - @ UConn
1/11 - @ UVM
2/18-19 - @ Maine (2)
2/25 - @ Mac
 
Last edited:
Thanks Chuck, and you guessed correctly…I can’t disagree with either of your assumptions….it does seem UNH is just floating in limbo with very little desire to change anything that would cost energy or money!( I’m hoping that isn’t the case with Faber coming back, since she has done. great job at LIU and she is not one to waste her efforts!)
As for Merrimack being the “last straw”, I’d add HC and UConn to the bundle….Not Good!!
 
Dan said:
Don't want to rain on Maine's parade, but Barr's recent comments about not necessarily recruiting talent, but instead grit and determination and kids ‘who want to be here’ is less than inspiring. Sounds a lot like the comments of another HE coach when he was getting started...
Click to expand...

I noticed that as well. Given that he's done quite well at recruiting talent - or at the very least coaching talent up from the baseline - I wouldn't take this as gospel, though. I suspect he's just setting his own effort baseline, and reinforcing the old adage that "work beats talent, unless talent works". He's not necessarily in a position to successfully recruit top talent at this point anyway, so I suspect this season will be consolidation and taking inventory, and then starting the big push next season. It will be very interesting though to see how it plays out ...
 
Dan said:
Don’t want to rain on Maine’s parade, but Barr’s recent comments about not necessarily recruiting talent, but instead grit and determination and kids ‘who want to be here’ is less than inspiring. Sounds a lot like the comments of another HE coach when he was getting started...
Click to expand...

I think what he was trying to say came out a bit clumsy. It wasn’t that Maine doesn’t want top talent, it’s just that they have to want to come to Maine and I would expect it’s more someone who starts to blow up at 19 or 20 versus 15 or 16. I suspect he’ll be looking more BCHL and USHL versus the NTDP(I get they play in USHL) kids.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dan
Holy Cross names Sommer, Sorenson new assistants, Butler volunteer assistant, Hailer director of hockey operations:
https://www.uscho.com/2021/07/06/hol...key-operations/

“Bobby has NHL and Olympic experience that will have a tremendous impact on our forwards on day one,” Riga said. “His background in teaching at his hockey camps and clinics in the Worcester area give us great resources as well. This is home for him and he is highly respected in the hockey world. We are fortunate to have him join our staff.”
 
Updated this previous post. All ready for your predictions, Chuck. :-)

Snively65 said:
There are now 15 away games posted on the Schedule thread spreadsheet, typically the second half of home and home weekends, along with two at Arizona State on 15-16 October, two in Orono on 18/19 February, and two games at the Ledyard Classic on 30/31 December, which brings the UNH total to 31 games. Maybe one of the unknown unknowns will be a return visit to the Bentley Arena, as one more OOC game is needed, along with two more HEA third games.

UNH Away 2021-22:

10/15-16 - @ AZ State (2)
10/29 - @ PC
11/6 - @ NU
11/19 - @ UMass
12/3 - @ BU
12/30-31 - Ledyard Classic: Mercyhurst, BC, or Dartmouth
1/15 - @ BC
1/21 - @ UConn
2/4 - @ UConn
1/11 - @ UVM
2/18-19 - @ Maine (2)
2/25 - @ Mac
Click to expand...
 
UNH Away 2021-22:

10/15-16 - @ AZ State (2) W/T
10/29 - @ PC L
11/6 - @ NU L
11/19 - @ UMass L
12/3 - @ BU W
12/30-31 - Ledyard Classic: Mercyhurst, BC, or Dartmouth L/W
1/15 - @ BC L
1/21 - @ UConn W
2/4 - @ UConn L
2/11 - @ UVM W
2/18-19 - @ Maine (2) W/L
2/25 - @ Mac T
 
The 5 person freshman class was announced. Combined with transfers, you have the following "trades":
in Blaisdell out Grasso EVEN/UPGRADE
in Margel out Crookshank BIG DOWNGRADE
in Cronin out Kelleher SLIGHT DOWNGRADE
in Sweeney out Sato VERY SLIGHT DOWNGRADE
in Gagne out Maass UPGRADE
in Huard out Nagle UPGRADE
in Fessenden out Taylor EVEN

Notes on recruiting class
UNH is getting older. It chose not to bring in any of the younger, better talent of Evans or Ardanaz, giving them another year of juniors. Of the 5 UNH recruits, 3 are aging out of juniors (i.e., age 20).
The same will happen next year, where Winters/Devlin/Penney will be aged out.

Notes on 2021-22 Season
Right wing was a problem all of last year, with Grasso ineffective in 5X5, and Kelleher injured and not that productive when he played. With not bringing in Evans early, there's a lot of pressure on Cafarelli to step up and hold up the right side, and for Cronin to be ready right away. Cafarelli is talented enough to fit in the top 6, but had work to do with conditioning and intensity of puck pursuit.
I'm looking forward to Blaisdell match his hype. IF, IF both Cafarelli and Blaisdell can make the second line click at 15-20 points, then the third line can find a good level.

The defense should be good enough. Reid can have a breakthrough, and lets see how long Gagne takes to get up to speed.

2021-22
Sr.Ward---------------Sr.Pierson-----------Grad.MacAdams
Jr.Blaisdell------------Sr.Engaras----------So.Cafarelli
Jr.Stevenson---------So.Gendron----------Fr.Cronin
Fr.Margel------------Jr.Herrmann---------Sr.Esposito
So.Richels------------Sr.Cipollone---------Jr.Hankinson
Fr.Sweeney---------

Jr.Eriksson--------Fr.Gagne
Sr.MacKinnon-----So.Reid
Sr.Verrier---------So.Jenson
Fr.Huard----------Sr.Semandel
Sr.Hickey

Grad.Robinson-----Jr.Fessenden----So.Forman

Notes on the future
The two promising potential freshmen, Kelowna twins Evans and Ardanaz will defer and play in the BCHL next year. They should have big years, and presumably be ready to step in as impact kids in 2022 with Russian Sardaryan. There's still a big glut, with Turner/Sacco/Winters and Devlin also potentially part of that class (and potentially a kid like Ellis Rickwood?), replacing only MacAdams and potentially Pierson and Engaras (both may have pro offers). It will be a very young group up front class wise, meaning Freshmen, but clearly UNH is going older, having Evans and Ardanaz come in as 19 year olds rather than a year early, and having three 20 year olds (Winters/Devlin/Penney), and potentially pushing Leclerc to a 20 year old season in 2023.

The recruits returning to juniors are interesting, it will be fun to monitor this year. Should have big numbers from Evans and Ardanaz, and Sardaryan should show some promise in a tough league.

2022-23
Grad.Ward-------[[[[Grad.Pierson or Engaras or Fr.Rickwood]]]]------Jr.Cafarelli
Sr.Blaisdell----------Fr.Sardaryan--------Fr.Evans
Sr.Stevenson-------Jr.Gendron-----------So.Cronin
So.Margel-----------Sr.Herrmann---------Fr.Turner
Jr.Richels-----------Fr.Devlin--------------Fr.D.Sacco
Fr.Winters----------So.Sweeney----------Sr.Hankinson

Sr.Eriksson-------So.Gagne
Jr.Reid-----------Fr.Ardanaz
Fr.Carfagna------Jr.Jenson
So.Huard---------Fr.Penney

Fr.Baliotti-----------Sr.Fessenden---------Jr.Forman

2023-24
Grad.Blaisdell-------So.Sardaryan-------So.Evans
Grad.Stevenson----Sr.Cafarelli----------[[So.Rickwood]]
Jr.Margel------------Sr.Gendron----------Jr.Cronin
Sr.Richels-----------So.Turner------------So.D.Sacco
So.Winters----------Fr.Leclerc------------So.Devlin
Jr.Sweeney----------Fr.N.Ring

Sr.Reid-----------Jr.Gagne
So.Ardanaz-------Fr.Fitzgerald
So.Carfagna------Sr.Jenson
Jr.Huard----------So.Penney

So.Baliotti-----------Fr.Muszelik---------Jr.Forman
 
Chuck Murray said:
UNH Away 2021-22:

10/15-16 - @ AZ State (2) W/T
10/29 - @ PC L
11/6 - @ NU L
11/19 - @ UMass L
12/3 - @ BU W
12/30-31 - Ledyard Classic: Mercyhurst, BC, or Dartmouth L/W
1/15 - @ BC L
1/21 - @ UConn W
2/4 - @ UConn L
2/11 - @ UVM W
2/18-19 - @ Maine (2) W/L
2/25 - @ Mac T
Click to expand...

Ok, by my tally, Chuck is predicting a 0.500 record so far (7-6-3 home, 6-7-2 away). Maybe if two of the three remaining games to be scheduled are against "cupcakes" (need to do a search here to get the definition, as in "if you cannot beat the cupcakes, YOU are the cupcake"), Chuck will predict our first winning record since the 2013/14 season (22-18-1)? Whatever the future, we must improve over last season's 6-14-3 record, although watcher seems to be suggesting an overall downgrade in talent compared to last season.
 
Last edited:
Snively65 said:
Whatever the future, we must improve over last season's 6-14-3 record, although watcher seems to be suggesting an overall downgrade in talent compared to last season.
Click to expand...

To clarify, the in vs. out just looks at the overall trajectory of a program - if you are replacing players with similar or better players. But for a team like UNH, I think the internal growth of existing players should lead to a better result. A healthy Stevenson should replace Grasso's production. Ward's production didn't match his play for some reason, so hopefully he clicks with Pierson or someone. Reid stepped up last year at the end, and I could see a further jump to be the #1 D. Maass was not useful much of the year, so even though Gagne will have learning pains with his footspeed, I could see that being an upgrade. And I mention Cafarelli as a key. If he shows some compete level, he could be a big step up. Even Gendron, who played far better than expected, could step up and be a solid #3 center. Also a kid like Richels needs to work on his skating (and puck receiving), but could be a good role player if he improves.

The only clear loss was Crookshank. Plus, using the Cronin/Kelleher comparison, even if Cronin's ceiling is lower than Kelleher's, Kelleher was a non-contributor last year, so UNH should have more contribution from Cronin.

I think I predicted UNH at 5th in HE early in the offseason. UMass got some transfers and late recruits that probably put them ahead of UNH again.

1.BC
2.Northeastern
3.Providence
4.BU
5.U.Mass
6/7.UNH/UConn
8.Lowell
9.Merrimack
10.Maine
11.Vermont


And overall, I'm just happy to see a normal season again.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top